South Africa were rocked two wickets in four balls to open the match but David Miller led the recovery effort with a late innings onslaught before the spinners wrapped up the win
Match Report:
ScorecardMiller time as Proteas tame Ireland in T20
South Africa's David Miller hit an unbeaten 75 to help the touring side out of early trouble before their spinners then restricted Ireland to secure a 42-run victory in the second Twenty20 international in Belfast.
Miller was in belligerent mood, scoring his runs off 44 balls, to lift South Africa to 7-159 on Thursday after they won the toss and elected to bat.
Ireland were bowled out for 117 in reply as spinners Tabraiz Shamsi and Bjorn Fortuin took three wickets each.
South Africa lost two wickets in the first four balls of the innings as Paul Stirling struck to remove Temba Bavuma and Janneman Malan without scoring.
The Proteas looked in trouble at 5-58 but Miller led a fightback, taking full advantage of being dropped on 19 to see them to a respectable score. He hit four sixes in the final over.
It was a welcome return for Miller, who had struggled to make an impact in his role as No.6 in the preceding five-match T20 series in the West Indies.
"I'd not really had a proper go in terms of opportunity wise in the last seven games," Miller told reporters after the match.
"I haven't really felt I'm out of form, I just feel like in T20 the last seven games has been one of situation ... coming in at six, a particular role is required.
"I'm just trying to make an impact. It hasn't quite worked out as an impact there lately, but today I had a bit of time, we were in a bit of trouble.
"I'd like to bat higher and I have mentioned that, but at same time we have a bigger goal. It's more a particular role required of that position and I've been thrown upon that.
Paul Stirling moves ahead of Brendon McCullum and into the top ten run-scorers in men's T20I cricket in emphatic fashion 💥 A true great 🙌 SCORE: https://t.co/db5fBstZ0r#IREvSA #BackingGreen ☘🏏@gs_ireland pic.twitter.com/QwwiPrKMze— Cricket Ireland (@cricketireland) July 22, 2021
"I'm a huge team man and don't want to just bash my way in and say I want to bat three or four. We've got a structure in place and we're all on the same page."
Ireland failed to gain any traction in their reply and were strangled by the spinners with Shamsi underlining his ranking as the top T20 international bowler with 3-14 off his four overs.
Fortuin took 3-16 while Shane Getkate top scored for the Irish with 24 before they were bowled out with three balls to spare.
South Africa won the first T20 international in Dublin on Monday by 33 runs and now have an unassailable lead in the three-game series, with the final match also in Belfast on Saturday.